Wire pliers for rolled edge upholstery



May 23, 1933. c PHENIX 1,911,036

WIRE PLIERS FOR ROLLED EDGE UPHOLSTERY Filed June 15, 1952 Y M. C- PJIENL Z/ By} Q Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATEfi MAURICE G. PHENIX, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Application filed June 15, 1932. Serial No. 617,388.

My invention relates to a type of pliers specifically designed to insert a wire staple in a rolled edge construction for upholstery, such staple and type of rolled edge and attachment to upholstery being illustrated in my patent application for rolled edge construction, filed March 11, 1931, Serial No.

In this construction, a rolled edge formed of a resilient, fibrous filling material is confined by a covering, such as burlap, and this is securely attached to a wire forming part of a spring, by means of a hook formed on one end of the staple. The staple wire is 143 forced through the fibrous material of the rolled edge and is then bent to clinch the wire and to partly compress the material of the rolled edge and also to thereby securely attach such rolled edge to the wire of the spring construction.

In my pliers I have a triple set of jaws, one pair being hinged together and having handles, there being a pivot knuckle so that by squeezing the handles together the jaws are also brought together. These two jaws are used, one to engage the hook end of the sta ple and the holding wire of the spring and also the under side of the rolled edge and to force this wire staple through the rolled U edge. For this purpose the under or lower jaw has a notch or recess to accommodate the hooked end of the staple and the wire of the spring. The other jaw is provided with a 5 slot to accommodate the free or projecting end of the wire which is forced through and past the upper surface of the rolled edge.

A third or clinching jaw is pivoted to the upper jaw having the slot. This jaw has a handle and is normally spring-retracted to its open position. Such clinching jaw has a clinching face, preferably with a groove, in which the free end of the staple fits. This jaw when retracted is normally at substantially right angles to the upper jaw having the slot but it may be forced by its handle into alignment with the slotted jaw and turn still further to compress the wire staple and to depress the pointed end of the staple into the covering material of the rolled edge.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

F ig. 1 is a perspective view, showing the manner of use of my invention in building up upholstery.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with parts of the second and third jaws broken away, the third jaw being retracted and the staple forced through the rolled edge.

Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2 with the third jaw turned on its pivot to clinch the projecting end of the staple.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of part of they lower jaw.

In the drawing, the rolled edge is designated by the numeral 11. This includes a filling of resilient fibrous material 12 and a covering 13, usually of burlap. The ends 1 1 and 15 of this covering are stitched together at a line 16 and thus hold the material of this rolled edge in a compact bundle. The ends or sheets 14 and 15 may be used as part of the spring covering, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The pliers is provided. with a pair of knuckles 17. To one knuckle there is connected the lower jaw 18, this having a handle 19 and the upper aw 20 having a handle 21. The lower jaw provided with a notch 22 and a slight concave recess 23 in the center of this notch. The notch is designed to engage the marginal binding wire 24 of the wire spring construction 25.

The upper jaw has a straight section 26 with a longitudinal slot 27. The jaw 18 has a concave portion 28 and the upper 20 has a concave portion 29, this being of sharper curvature. 99

The third jaw 30 is fitted in the slot 27 and has a pivot pin 31 extending through one corner of this jaw and through the jaw 20. This third jaw is of sufficient width to have a close operating fit in the slot 27. It provided with a straight face 82 with a longitudinal groove 33 in such face. A handle 3e extends through the jaw and this is retracted by a retraction spring 34, one end of which is secured to a lug 35 on the jaw 20.

In the manner of operation, the rolled edge is fitted in the proper position on the spring by laying this edge along the wire 24. The end or strip 1d of the covering may contact the wood frame of the spring or other article to be upholstered. The wire staple, designated 36, which has a hooked end 37, is forced through the rolled edge material by the hook being fitted in the notch 22 of the lower jaw 18. By engaging the top of the rolled edge between the upper aw the staple is forced through the rolled edge until the hook engages the wire 24:. In this operation the jaw 30 is retracted into the position of Fig. 2. \Vhcn this wire projects through the slot 27 aproper amount and engages the groove 33 in the 30, the jaw is pivoted from the position of 2 to that of Fig. 3. This bends the free end 38 of the staple until this free end presses part of the covering of the rolled edge slightly into this edge, or else the clinched edge of the staple is left in alignment with the covering of the rolled edge. The third jaw is then released and the pliers removed from the rolled edge, leaving this securely attached to the wire 2-1 and slightly compressed at each staple.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the suirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pliers having a lower jaw and an up per aw to engage an upholstery rolled edge thcrebetwcen and to squeeze same, a clinching jaw pivotally connected to the upper jaw and having means to engage and guide a. free end of a staple extending from the lower jaw through said rolled edge, the lower jaw having a longitudinal recess to engage the lower end of the staple and a transverse notch to engage a wire of a spring frame.

2. A pliers as claimed in claim 1, the upper jaw having a slot, and the clinching jaw being pivoted in said slot, the means to engage the end of the staple by the clinching jaw comprising a groove in the face of such third jaw.

3. A pliers having lower and upper jaws with knuckles connected thereto and cross handles, said jaws having a concave curve on their adjoiningfaces, the lower jaw having a notch at its outer edge to engage a pre-bent end of a staple and a frame wire, the upper jaw having a face with a flat section and a slot therein, such aws being adapted to engage an upholstery rolled edge and to force a staple through said edge and to squeeze the edge, the staple passing through the slot, and a clinching jaw pivotally mounted to the upper jaw and operating to engage the free end of the staple and to clinch the staple on the outside of the upholstery rolled edge.

4. A pliers as claimed in claim 3, the clinching aw being pivotally mounted in the slot of the upper aw and having a handle, a spring connected between said handle and part of the upper jaw to normally retract the clinching aw.

5. A pliers having a lower and an upper jaw with pivoted knuckles and crossed handles, the inside face of said jaws having a concave curve, the upper jaw having a straight section toward its outer end having a vertical slot theretlnrmigh, the lower jaw having a transverse notch in its end with a recess in such notch, the. notch being adapted to engage a frame wire and the recess a bent end of a, staple, said jaws being adapted to squeeze an upholstery rolled edge and force the free end of the staple therethrough and through the slot in the upper jaw, a clinching jaw pivotally mounted in the slot of the upper jaw and having a handle with a retraction spring between the handle and the fixed part of the upper jaw, the clinching jaw having a longitudinal groove to receive the free end of the staple and to clinch such staple on the outside of said rolled edge.

6. A pliers having a lower jaw and an upper jaw to engage an upholstery rolled edge thcrebetwccn and to squeeze same, a clinching jaw pivotally connected to the upper jaw and having means to engage and guide a free end of a staple extending from the lower j aw through said rolled edge, the upper jaw having a slot, and the clinching jaw being pivoted in said slot, the means to engage the end of the staple by the clinching jaw coniprising a groove in the face of such third aw.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

MAURICE C. PHENIX. 

